A digital x-ray image capture system typically includes a x-ray source that directs x-rays through a subject and onto an image capturing device for capturing an image of the subject in digitized form. The digitized data is sent over a fiber optic cable to a computer for permitting image processing on the digitized data and for, ultimately, storing the processed data on a memory storage device.
A compact disc writer then receives the processed data from the memory storage device and writes it to a compact disc which, in a single track format, writes the data sequentially and helically along the disk, as is well known in the art. Once writing is initiated, the compact disc writer requires the data be in a continuously and uninterrupted bit stream until completion of the writing process.
Although the presently known and utilized system is satisfactory, it is not without drawbacks. If additional images are sent to the computer while the computer is transferring data to the compact disc writer, the data transfer to the compact disc writer can be temporarily interrupted causing a writing error, generally referred to in the art as buffer underrun.
Consequently, a need exists for improvements in the construction and mode of operating the digital x-ray image capture system so as to overcome the above-described drawbacks.